The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and an operating method thereof, and in particular to a semiconductor memory device having reduced programming time and an operating method thereof.
The number of electrons trapped in a floating gate decreases as gate dimensions become smaller. Because of this, a program operation may pass only when a higher program voltage is applied in a program verifying operation. For example, if the program operation passes when the fifth program pulse is applied in a 32 nm process, the program operation will pass when the tenth program pulse is applied in a 20 nm process. This is a physical phenomenon that is observed as the length of the gate of a memory cell decreases.
Accordingly, a need arises for a semiconductor memory device having reduced programming time, especially in view of the above phenomenon.